Too Many Business Owners Have Forgotten the Basics. Here Are 3 You Can’t Ignore

Sports have taught me a lot about business, and one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is how important it is to practice the fundamentals. Take the pro baseball players at spring training. Every year, they start with the basics and work on everything all over again. Why? Because they know how easy it is for skills to erode between seasons.

It’s the same in business. You start making money and lose sight of what got you here. Spring is the perfect time of year for a mini camp to sharpen your core business fundamentals.

1. First impressions matter

You don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression, and you don’t get much time to make it, either — about five seconds. That’s how long it takes someone to make up their mind about whether they want to do business with you.

Did you make eye contact when you met? Did you smile and offer a firm handshake? Do you look professional, from your attire to your grooming?

OK, your five seconds are up.

That first impression is so critical. People want to do business with someone they like, so before they see your product or hear your sales pitch, they’re evaluating you.

Consider the impression you want to make and what details will convey it. Does the car you drive reflect your success? What kind of watch are you wearing – big and flashy or sleek and understated? These details may seem superficial, but they say a lot about you. Make sure they’re saying what you want others to hear.

2. Networking works

You’re not going to build a big business sitting in your store or office, waiting for business to come to you. You must get out into your community, meet people, and promote yourself. I went from having two appointments a day to twelve because I went out every day and booked meetings. That’s how my first business grew and became successful.

Use all the marketing tools at your disposal, starting with business cards. I was at a convention recently, and more than half of the people attending did not have business cards. They were ignoring one of the simplest ways to make sure they’d be remembered by the people they met. My dad always insisted that I always have a business card with me when meeting people; it was that important.

Call it guerrilla marketing or just networking, but you need to get out there and meet your customers where they are. Join a networking or lead-referral group like your local Chamber of Commerce, or preferably the local BNI

And make sure to bring plenty of business cards.

3. Positivity is a magnet

I always look for the positive in any situation. I think it’s what’s helped me become a good businessperson. Staying optimistic and looking for the good keeps you moving forward and embracing new opportunities.

Attitude is everything. If people sense your positive attitude, it will draw them to you like a magnet.

The challenge is when those around you are more focused on the negative. That’s not to say everything has to be sunshine and lollipops. At United Franchise Group, we encourage constructive feedback that points out successes and challenges. But people who go immediately to the negative don’t make it very long at our company.

Sometimes, negativity isn’t someone’s natural state but may just mean they’re in the wrong position. You need to have the right people on the bus, but you also need to have them in the right seats. I recently had a meeting about an individual who’s the right person for us, but is in the wrong position. So, we’re keeping him on the team but changing his seat.

How to be popular

In my more than four decades in business, I’ve seen many small businesses fail. Often, it’s because they stopped paying attention to the fundamentals. I decided to help by writing the book, How to Become the Most Popular Business in Your Town. By “most popular,” I simply mean the one that’s always out there, always the first one people think of when they need it.

Everybody’s always looking for the shortcuts and the shiny thing that’s in front of them in the moment. Forget the flash and go for what works. Making a good first impression, promoting yourself in your community, and staying positive help lay the foundation on which successful businesses are built.

They may not be shiny and new, but they can take you where you need to go.